It's Never Too Late
by Jett Greves
Summary: A oneshot about Aang and Katara a few years after the war. Katara is engaged to Zuko, but what happens when Aang sees her again? KataraAang


_Jett Note:_

_K...so I was at work and this just sorta came to me...I've had really bad writer's block lately. So please don't hate me for not finishing my other stuff. This is just a little one-shot of Aang and Kataraness where Katara is engaged to Zuko. I liked writing it so please read and review! _

_Setting: After the war_

Oh, and I don't own Avatar...

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He sat alone, watching her in the distance from a rooftop. She looked...beautiful. The sparkling blue water from the fountain mirrored by the moonlight made everything around her shimmer with a white light.

_Why?_ He thought._ Why did I wait?_

_**Because you are a coward.**_ A voice echoed inside his head. _**You succeed in life my friend...but fail miserably in love.**_

A sudden gust of wind sent a shiver down his spine. The breeze was hot, being a Fire Nation zephyr, but somehow his insides felt frozen solid.

"I hate this Nation" he muttered clutching at his robes.

_**Why?**_ The spiteful voice echoed. _**Is it because of the friends and family sacrificed for this Nation's pointless war?...Or is it because this Nation stole from you the only woman you ever cared for?**_

"I had her..." he vented, standing up to lean on his staff.

_**You THOUGHT you had her.**_

"She loved me."

_**Possibly.**_

"We had something special..."

_**HAD is the key word here.**_

"I..." he stammered, grasping a necklace hidden within his pocket. " was going t-to_**..."**_

_**Make a fool of yourself? **_

"Ask her to marry me..."he finished as he looked at the midnight sky.

_**Aww...look. She's crying.**_ sang the voice.

Aang quickly wheeled around to find Katara slumped on the fountain's edgewith her face in her hands, shakinguncontrollably.

_**What are you waiting for?**_ _**Go get her! **_The voice scoffed. _**Oh, that's right. She's not yours to comfort anymore.**_

Aang hesitated for a minute. What if the Fire Lord saw? She was his fiancé after all. What was he thinking? Wasn't he the Avatar? Wasn't he supposed to bring peace? Not shatter it?

_She needs me... _he thought leaping silently from rooftop to rooftop towards the fountain.

_**She is not yours to love! **_Spat the voice.

_Maybe not_... _but that is for her to decide!_

Aang quietly airbent himself behind a nearby rosewood tree. He could hear her sobs. He could practically feel her shaking.He stepped stealthily from behind the tree and made his way towards her.

_**She will reject you! **_

"K-Katara?" Aang whispered reaching out his hand to touch her cheek.

She gasped, frightened by his sudden presence. Her blue eyes were riddled with tears. Her hair undone from its tightly bound braids.

"W-why...did you come back?" Katara sobbed.

_**Tell her. Tell her how you wanted to steal her from the most powerful man in the world!**_

"I wanted to see you again..." Aang breathed. The celebration was in the honor of the Avatar ending the war, after all. He had a right to be there.

"I-I didn't..." Katara sniveled swatting Aang's hand away. She slowly stood up and began to walk away.

"Katara..." Aang grasped both of her hands and forced her to look deep in his stormy eyes. "Look at me and tell me you didn't want to see me again..."

Katara could feel her heart flutter the way it used to. Before she got engaged to _him._ How she loved ...and loathed that fluttering feeling now. Her cheeks began to emit the heat it always did when Aang was close. She inhaled. The scent of the airbender intoxicated her. It always did. And she knew, it always would.

"How did it come to this?" she whimpered as she leaned her head against his chest.

"You're not his yet..." Aang whispered in her ear softly, but fiercely.

_**Are you sure?**_ The voice persisted.

"Prove it..." Katara cooed pressing herself gently against him. Her eyebrows furrowed in a defiant gesture.

_**She's off limits Avatar! **_The voice hissed.

_She is my limit..._ he thought as he caught her in his arms and locked eyes with her. He felt her breath hot on his face. He had waited for this moment.

Katara placed her hands gently against the sides of his face and slowly closed her eyes. She wanted this. Why hadn't she realized this until now? She had no control over herself anymore. She felt the gentle brush of his lips against hers. She pressed herself deeper into his arms and felt both of their hearts beating in unison. She deepened the kiss as Aang slowly ran his fingers along her back where her dress left uncovered. She moaned softly and her legs began to weaken.

"Do you love me?" Aang said as he pulled away from the kiss.

"I...I..." Katara stammered.

She knew what would happen if she said yes. Aang would be shunned by the world for stealing the future Fire Lady. She knew what she had to do. This was to protect Aang.

"No..." she whispered trying to keep from looking in his eyes.

_**See? **_The voice barked triumphantly. _**You got your answer. Now leave her alone. **_

_**Haven't you hurt her enough already by coming here?**_

"I...I don't understand..." Aang stammered. "I...we..."

"You were wrong, Aang..." Katara cut him off. "Y-you should leave."

She closed her eyes to prevent tears. But to no avail.

"Then do me a favor..." Aang said quietly. His eyes getting foggy.

"W-what?" Katara questioned brokenly.

"Kiss me...one last time..."

"What?"

"I need to know something." Aang said grasping her hands.

She bit her bottom lip and leaned into Aang cautiously only to be met by Aang as his lips crashed into her as he kissed her passionately. His hand tracing her jaw line.

Katara felt weightless. She couldn't think anymore. She threw herself at him which surprised Aang and caused him to fall backwards onto the side of the fountain.

"I thought so..." the airbender breathed as he smiled slightly at the beautiful girl practically on top of him.

"What?" she whispered, hovering inches away from his face.

"You...do love me." Aang finished brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

"I-I..."

"So why did you deny it?"

"I thought," Katara cried. "That if I said 'no', that I would spare you..."

"From what?" Aang replied softly intertwining their fingers.

"Shame and humiliation..." she sobbed as she rested her face in the crook of his neck.

"I don't want that for you Aang..." she said, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around the airbender beneath her.

"If I have you then I don't care what the future brings." Aang smiled as he brought them both into a sitting position.

"I can't let you throw away everything you have become...everything you are."

"I'll give you a day." Aang said abruptly.

"Excuse me?" Katara replied, raising an eyebrow.

"If you agree," Aang continued gently. " Meet me on the beach tomorrow night."

With that, he placed something in Katara's hand and stood to leave.

Katara looked down at the object shimmering in her palm. It was a small necklace with a glistening silver stone set in the center. Inside the stone was set the Water Tribe symbol integrated with a golden Air Nomad symbol. She immediately began to cry. Why was Aang the only person who made her cry? Why was she crying? What would she say?

Aang, on the other hand, turned from her and gracefully opened his air glider. He turned back to say goodbye only to be met by Katara's lips pressed gently against his own. He gently caressed her neck as they both shared what might be their last kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeper. Every touch of their lips was like a dream to her. She wanted this. She wanted him.

After what seemed like hours, Aang took Katara's hands and brought her to face him.

"Give me your answer tomorrow..." he breathed, as he leaned his forehead against hers. "I'll be waiting..."

Katara then hugged him tightly as she buried herself in his arms. Aang smiled and held her one last time before letting her go.

"Whatever your decision," Aang said stepping away and turning to leave. "my heart will always belong to you."

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As she watched him soar away for what seemed like the millionth time, she heard a voice.

_**Your duty is to your country.**_

_But isn't my duty also to my heart?_ She replied to the voice.

_**You will destroy him. You already have a commitment.**_

_I want to save him._

_**What can you do? You are just a lowly peasant.**_

_Maybe. But Aang thinks otherwise._

_**You can't protect him forever.**_

_I can try! _She challenged, clutching at the necklace still in her palm.

Katara climbed the stairs to the palace that loomed before her. For some reason, the palace seemed menacing now. She felt alone. Afraid. She would pack lightly. She wouldn't turn back. She had an appointment with the Avatar tomorrow.

_heh...what can I say? I like the Katara/ Aang pairing. _

_Oh, and season 3 will probably be coming out mid-late September. And Aang looks totally different. So does everyone else! But right now I guess I'll have to settle for reruns..._

_R&R please!_


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